Valencia MotoGP penalty will make race “easier” for Jorge Martin

Jorge Martin’s turbulent MotoGP title defence season comes to an end this weekend (14–16 November) in Valencia and the Spaniard will serve a double long lap penalty in Sunday’s grand prix – but this is something that he thinks will actually be of benefit.

Martin explained that tomorrow’s race will be “easier” than the Sprint because the penalty he has carried from Japan will put him out of the pack, whereas in the Saturday half-distance race he was sucked into racing in the early laps, something he didn’t feel ready to do.

“My plan before the start was to just go on the side, and maybe go wide in the first corner and be in last, and then start to overtake,” Jorge Martin said after the Sprint in Valencia.

“But I started really well and then I found the place between Aleix [Espargaro] and Mir, and then I overtook Marini, then I overtook another rider and I was feeling really good. 

“This was good from one side, but I didn’t want to take any risks, so it’s better like this.

“Tomorrow will be easier because I have two long laps, so I will be last. So, I prefer to be like this. 

“I am still not feeling that confident on the bike to fight, so I feel better being alone, trying to understand what I need to be faster.”

Martin did get his wish of free track in the MotoGP Sprint after he ran wide at turn eight.

“I touched the white line and I lost the front,” the Aprilia Racing rider explained.

“In any other situation I would try to make the corner, but I saw a small risk hitting Johann [Zarco] and I just went straight. 

“It’s a pity at that corner the [escape road] is really long, then you have to come back and have to make like a big long lap. 

“But it was even better because I was too hot in that situation: I was overtaking riders, I wanted to overtake Johann. 

“So, as soon as I went wide I relaxed a bit and started to make my own pace. Actually, it was a good pace, I did 1:30.4, 1:30.6, so my pace was good  – for sure not for the win, but I understood a few things and I think it was more important to ride and understand things than to fight for a top-10.”

The physical toll was notable, though, for Martin, who is considering ending his Sunday race early to try to be more ready for Tuesday’s test.

“Today was a bit on the limit,” he said when asked about his physical condition in the Sprint.

“I feel pain but the problem is the strength, I feel I’m losing strength every lap, and tomorrow will be a really long race. 

“I want to be ready on Tuesday for the test, so maybe I need to sacrifice ending the race a bit before to be ready for the test on Tuesday.”